It’s always time for great barbecue. Last Saturday the Queen Mary hosted their 4th annual West Coast BBQ Classic (WCBC) which featured over 60 different SoCal-based champion grill masters and BBQ teams competing for the coveted title of West Coast’s Best BBQ along with cash prizes. The Grand Champion of chicken, pork ribs, pork and brisket, Sterling Ball, of Big PoppaSmokers joins us.

Our other resident wine authority is Managing Partner Tristen Beamon of The Wine Exchange in Santa Ana. One of the world’s greatest wine-producing regions, according to the experts, is Bordeaux located in Southwestern France. The region’s fame dates back over 2,000 years to the time of the Romans. Tristen is with us to provide the 411 on the coveted wines from this stellar region and why they are significant to serious collectors. He has just returned from the area which he is quite well-traveled in.

Executive Chef Deborah Schneider’s new cookbook is Salsas and Moles – Fresh and Authentic Recipes for Pico de Gallo, Mole Poblano, Chimichurri, Guacamole, and More. Chef Deborah is the executive chef/partner of SOL Cocina in Newport Beach and Scottsdale, Arizona (and soon to be in Playa Vista), and Solita in Huntington Beach and Santa Clarita. Chef Deb is our guest talking about America’s new favorite condiment, salsa.

Imagine a country where East and West are beautifully intertwined in the cuisine and culture and where its treasured cooking secrets are just waiting to be discovered. Welcome to Azerbaijan. In Pomegranates & Saffron – A Culinary Journey to Azerbaijan, Feride Buyuran takes the reader on a delightful culinary journey through this beautiful land in the Caucasus. Interspersed throughout the text are fascinating glimpses of local culture and traditional proverbs related to food that will make the adventure even more memorable. Author Feride Buyuran is our guest.

The Jewish deli business is not an easy one. After being offered a management position with an existing but failing Northridge, CA deli, Ron Peskin found himself with a new title – owner. The deli’s proprietor was abandoning ship, and he proposed that Peskin should be the one to keep it afloat. Not only did the deli come with all the necessary equipment and a staff of 11, it also came with a substantial amount of bad debt. The year was 1969 and, ironically, Ron and his wife Patricia also had a son named Brent so they changed everything but the name! With little money, a handful of employees and a single delivery truck, the Peskins were determined to make Brent’s Deli a success. A second, larger, Brent’s was added in Westlake Village 10 years ago. Today Brent’s consistently remains the highest rated deli in Southern California year-after-year.

All of this and lots more absolutely incredible deliciousness on Saturday’s show!

It’s always a good time for classic regional barbecue. Last Saturday the Queen Maryhosted their 4th annual West Coast BBQ Classic (WCBC) which featured over 60 different SoCal-based champion grill masters and BBQ teams competing for the coveted title of West Coast’s Best BBQ along with cash prizes.

This BBQ competition is California-State-Certified and Kansas CityBarbeque Society(KCBS)-sanctioned. The competition highlighted various grill styles from across the nation including slow-cooked hickory Texan and southern Memphis-style barbecue.

The Grand Champion of chicken, pork ribs, pork and brisket, Sterling Ball, of Big PoppaSmokers in Newport Beach joins us. He was Number One overall with a 1st Place Finish in Chicken and a 3rd Place Finish in Brisket.

Our other resident wine authority is Managing Partner Tristen Beamon of The Wine Exchange in Santa Ana. One of the world’s greatest wine-producing regions, according to the experts, is Bordeaux located in Southwestern France. The region’s fame dates back over 2,000 years to the time of the Romans.

Tristen is with us to provide the 411 on the coveted wines from this stellar region and why they are significant to serious collectors. He has just returned from the area which he is quite well-traveled in.

Tristen will explain the ins and outs of Bordeaux Futures and why a serious aficionado buys them. It’s not about wine snobbery…While in Bordeaux, Tristen tasted an extensive collection of the upcoming 2014 vintage. He’ll share his thoughts.

“It can be argued that salsa has surpassed ketchup as America’s favorite condiment, and my latest book, Salsa and Moles, presents authentic salsa and mole recipes that showcase the unique flavors of Mexico and beyond,” says Chef Schneider, who is a James Beard Award-nominated cookbook author. “We make more than 20 salsas fresh daily in our kitchen.”

Chef Deborah is the executive chef/partner of SOL Cocina in Newport Beach and Scottsdale, Arizona (and soon to be in Playa Vista), and solita in Huntington Beach and Santa Clarita. Chef Deb is our guest talking about America’s new favorite condiment, salsa.

Explore 200 tempting recipes for appetizers and salads, soups and stews, pasta, meat, vegetable and egg dishes, breads, saffron rice pilafs, aromatic drinks and desserts. All the recipes are adapted for preparation in a Western kitchen.

Feride Buyuran is the creator of AZcookbook.com, a popular food blog that features recipes and stories from Azerbaijan and beyond. Her passion for cooking and fond childhood memories led her to produce Pomegranates & Saffron, her first, about the cuisine of her homeland.

Author Feride Buyuran is our guest.

The Jewish deli business is surely not an easy one. Food and labor costs are high and the hours are long.

After being offered a management position with an existing but failing Northridge, CA deli, Ron Peskin found himself with a new title – owner. The deli’s proprietor was abandoning ship, and he proposed that Peskin should be the one to keep it afloat. Not only did the deli come with all the necessary equipment and a staff of 11, it also came with a substantial amount of bad debt. The year was 1969 and, ironically, Ron and his wife Patricia also had a son named Brent so they changed everything but the name! With little money, a handful of employees and a single delivery truck, the Peskins were determined to make Brent’s Deli a success.

Today, Brent’s Deli is still a family affair with Ron working side-by-side with son Brent, daughter and son-in-law Carie and Marc, and the recent third-generation addition of granddaughter Taylor, whose hands-on approach has catapulted Brent’s into an award-winning dining destination and catering business. Brent’s is frequented by loyal and new guests as well as celebrities and politicos who yearn for nothing more than authentic Jewish fare.

A second, larger, Brent’s was added in Westlake Village 10 years ago. Through the years Brent’s consistently remains the highest rated deli in Southern California year-after-year.

Ten charities have been selected by Brent’s Deli to be part of the award-winning restaurant’s first-ever Community Appreciation Day taking place on Wednesday, May 20 at both Brent’s Deli in Northridge and Brent’s Deli in Westlake Village. The restaurant will donate 20-percent of its sales earned from that day to an array of public-nominated charities.

“We wanted our guests and the general public to tell us what charities serving the San Fernando and Conejo Valleys should be part of Community Appreciation Day,” said Marc Hernandez, one of Brent’s Deli’s partners and the son-in-law of Brent’s founder Ron Peskin. “The result was an overwhelming response and a better understanding of all the great work being done by non-profit groups right here in our own backyard.”